Cushion unit for upholstery and method of making the same



CUSHION UNIT FOR UPHOLSTERY AND METHOD OF MAKING THESAME 5J; e y f ,f2.53 gV/f/f/ '2 2 mumgm MMM n@ 2 Il'. A. NAcHMAN, JR 2,271,842 CUSHION UNITFOR UPHOLSTERY AND METHOD 0F MAKING THE`SAME Feb. 3, 1942.

Fired July 1o, 1939 2 sheets-sheet 2 Patented Feb. 3, 1942 CUSHION UNITFOR UPHOLSTERY AND METHOD OF MAKING THE SAME Fred A. Nachman, Jr.,Chicago, Ill., assignor to Nachman Springfilled Corporation, Chicago,yIll., a corporation of Illinois Application July 10, 1939, Serial No.283,59

7 Claims.

The invention relates to improvements in the upholstery art andparticularly to the manufacture of spring assemblies for incorporationinto mattresses and cushions and a method of pro- 1 ducing the same atvery small cost.

More particularly, the invention relates to what may be termed jacketedspring assemblies wherein an all-metal spring structure is enveloped inan upholstery batt and is secured thereto in such manner that thesecuring means serve several useful purposes as hereinafter fullydescribed.

Several embodiments of the invention are illustrated in theaccompanyingdrawings, wherein,

Fig. 1 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view, partly broken away, ofa cushion unit constructed in accordance with the invention. A

Fig. 2 is a Vertical transverse sectional viewv of the same, also partlybroken away, taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. i.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view illustrating a modilied form cf theconstruction shown in Figs. l

and 2 with parts broken away.

Fig. 4 is an end elevation of a strip of brous padding, such as aconventional type of sisal fibre batt constructed in accordance with thepresent Y may be of any conventional type, an exemplary Said springassemportions of the batt l are spaced from 'each other substantially adistance equal to or slightly less than the width of the spring assemblyto be enveloped by the batt and are spaced, preferably, equidistantlyfrom the side edges of the batt for a substantial distance.

A batt of the type shown in Fig. 4 is made ofv I somewhat greater widththan the spring assembly 4 and is preferably of suicient length tocompletely envelope said spring assembly, which type being shown inFig. 1. bly may be 'equipped with or devoid of border Wires or othermarginal frame elements also common in the art.

In the instance of Fig. 1, the length of the batt or pad is such that'its ends meet at the point 5. The width of the batt,as above stated, issomewhat greater than the, width or length of the spring assembly to beenveloped thereby, depending upon whether the batt is disposed to extendtransversely about an assembly for a mattress or cushion orlongitudinally thereof, but in the case ci a spring assembly for seatcushions, the batt the subsequent overlap of the-ends of the batt, Y

- as shown at the right hand end of Fig. 6, being on the line 9,-9of'Fig. 8.

Fig. '10 is a view similar to Fig. 2 on a smaller scale showing anotherembodiment of the in'- Vention. Y y

As shown in Fig. 4, `a-fibre batt or pad l, of any ofthe conventionaltypes commonlyaxsed in upholstery, and which may be composed ofvstitched sisal fibre of a conventional type, is equipped along its.sideedge portionswith strips 2 of fabric secured thereto by stitchchains 3 spaced from the side edges of the batt and disd posed betweenthe side edges of ,said strips 2.

will be so disposed about the said lassembly as to have the side edgesof the batt extend along the longitudinal edges of the spring assemblywith thel verticallydisposed portions of the batt at front and rear ofthe spring assembly. y

The said batt i is lapped about the spring assembly so that the fabricstrips 2 are disposed upon the outer face of the same.

After the batt l has been so disposed about the` spring assembly, asshown in Fig. 1, the outwardly projecting portions or flaps of thestrips 2' are drawn downwardly from the upper edges 'of the horizontalface of the batt and upwardly from the lower face of the-,batt so thattheir edges meet and said meeting edges are then secured together alonga horizontal plane substantially midway between the upper and lowerfaces of the spring assembly by means of stitch chains `l. 'I'helast-named flaps or anges are drawn i sembly or slightly less, thetautness of the portions joined by the stitch chains 6 will stretch Thesaid stitch chains 3 along opposite edge 55 the batt tautly over thefaces of the assembly and will causethe stitch chains 3 to becomealigned substantially with the planes of the upper and lower faces ofsaid assembly'and will crowd the portions of the batts pierced by saidstitch chains 3 and normally compressed by them, to hug the side edgesof the assembly very closely and will also cause the outermost adjacentfree side edge portions of the batt to turn inwardly to underlie theside edge portions of the top and bottom faces of said assembly. Asthese side edges are relatively sharp, or rough, the batt thus becomesso firmly secured against displacement as to obviate the use of furthersecuring means.y

The strips 2 extend the entire length of the batt I and become foldedtransversely at their middle portions, the stitch chains 6 extendingsubstantially the entire lengthof said strips. The meeting edges of thebatt may be stitched together by means of loop stitches 1 if desired andthus the spring assembly becomes completely housed by said batt and thelast-named portions of the strips 2.

After the said strips 2 have been secured together by the stitch chains6, an endless band 3 of resilient foamed latex compound is disposedabout the spring assembly and the batt enveloping the same with the sideedges of said band disposed ush or substantially flush with theoutermost edges of the side edge portions of the batt aligned with thestitch chains 6. The.

other or inwardly extending portions of the strips 2 are then cementedto the opposed side edges of the band 8 to secure the latter firmly inplace. The band 8 is stretched slightly to receive Lthe batt-envelopedspring assembly 4` and is thus rendered self-retained in place and actsalso to secure the batt more firmly against displacement relatively tothe spring assembly 4.

As shown in Fig. 3, instead of using an endless band 8 of said foamedlatex, pads 9 of the same material, equal in width and length to thebattenveloped spring assembly, may be disposed upon the upper and-lowerfaces of the batt and se'- cured in place by means of the saidlast-named l upwardly and downwardly extending portions of the strips 2and, if desired, strips IIJ of fabric may be cemented to the front andrear edges of said pads to cover the front and rear face portions of'the foamed latex pads 9 to further secure the same to the springassembly.

Obviously, if desired, only one of said pads 9 may be employed 'to coverthe upper face of the structure, leaving the lower face free of anycovering except the ultimate outer cover fabric common to all cushionsand mattresses.

In instances (as exemplified in Figs. 5to 9) foamed latex or otheradditional layers of padding, it is preferred to secure strips 2a of asuitable fabric to the outer faces of the side edge downwardly from theupper portion and upwardly from the lower portion of the batt intoposition to be joined by means of stitch chains I8 identical with thestitch chains E of Figs. 1 and 3, the spring assembly being (as in thecase of Figs. 1-3 inclusive) of any of the various conventionaly types.I'hus the outer edge portions of the batt I I become reversed inposition and the side edge portions of the batt I are not only -drawndownwardly to cover the corresponding peripheral edges of the springassembly, but also inwardly to cover the lower faces of the peripheraledge portionsy of the top and bottom parts of the spring assembly, thejoined and tensioned flaps 2a 'being then disposed in vertical planessubstantially aligned vertically ,with the outermost peripheral portionsof the spring assembly which is generally and most commonly equippedwith a suitable border wire I9'along its top and bottom edges as shownin Fig. 7.

Obviously, the strips 2 or 2a when stitched together-by ,stitch chains 6and I8, respectively, serve not only to maintain the top and bottomportions of the batt in place on the spring assembly against lateralmovement, but also serve to hold said respective batts againstlongitudinal movement relatively to or about the spring assembly. Ineach instance the peripheral edges of the batt along the top and bottomfaces of the spring assembly are nicely rounded and particularly so inthe instances of Figs. 5-9 inclusive. This is advantageous in insertingthe spring assemblies into the cover fabrics of the mattresses andcushions, said batts being further advantageous in that they thoroughlypad the border wire frames of the spring assembly.

place it, will be transmitted to the opposite pad as welly as to thebatt and by the latter to the corners along the top and bottom of thespring assembly in line with the direction of' stress.V The batt obtainsa strong frictional hold on the assembly along the top and bottom4corners of the latter so that displacement of anypart of the structurerelatively to any other part thereof is substantially impossible.

Thus, as exemplified in Fig. 10, each of the I webs 2a may be of suchwidth as to include porlwhere the spring assembly is sold devoid of theU spring assembly, but also to cause the end portions I3 of the batt tobe overlapped, as shown in Fig. 6, said overlapped edge portions beingstitched together by means of stitching Il.

In Athis instance the batt Il will also be of greater width than thespring assembly enveloped thereby and after said batt has been disposedabout the spring assembly, as shownin Fig. 7, the portions 2a of thefabric strips stitched to the batt along its side edge portions areturned tions 20 or 2|, one of which is disposed to completely cover thebatt I which it borders and be secured by stitching 22 along its outeror normally free edge tothe extensionportion 2| of the other web 2aadjacent the stitch chain 3 which secures the latter to said batt. Thelast-named extension portion 2| may beof even greater length anddisposed to overlie the top and sides of the resilient pad 9 and besecured along its initially free edge portion to the other web 2a bystitching 23 adjacent th( stitch chain 3 which secures the latter tosaid batt.

Additionally, the extension portion 2l may be provided with hems 24 sodisposed as to be lo' cated at the corners of the resilient pad 9 and towhich the meeting edges of the boxing strip and cover fabric of thecasing of the ultimate mattress or cushion may be secured in a wellknown manner.

Obviously, the freel edge portions ofthe upwardly and downwardlyprojecting portions of the strips 2 and 2a cemented to peripheral facesof the resilient pad, provide flanges 25 to which the meeting edges ofthe boxing strip and cover springs thereof, and are connected with thenext adjacent inner springs, which is common in the art, the peripheryof the assembly is of greater height than the middle portionthereof. Insuch instances the webs 2 and 2a, respectively, are drawn so taut as toreduce the height of the periphery of the assembly to that of the middlevportion of the same.

tending upwardly from said webs in the vertical planes of the said Webs,and a unitary resilient pad offoamed latex or the like disposed over thelast-named face of said batt covered assembly and having side facesdisposed in the planes of said Webs and secured to said free portions ofthe latter.

3. A cushion unit comprising a springassembly,4batt coverings of greaterwidth than the top and bottom faces thereof completely covering thelatter, fabric strips secure'd to the outer faces of said coveringsalong side edge portions thereof by means of stitch chains disposedinitially in substantial alignment with the`vertical planes of the sideedges of the assembly and diposed in spaced relation to the side edges.of said fabric strips and' spaced from the side edges of saidcoverings, the outer edge portions ofthe said The batts used may be ofany type composed of long bre, such as sisal, wherein the fibres areheld against relative displacement by stitching and which may be devoidof or equipped with a backing sheet of fabric through which the saidpasses, or the same may be of the quilted type wherein the fibrousconstituent is disposed between fabric sheets. All of these types ofbatts as so well known to those skilled in the artvthat illustrated andlparticular description thereof yis deemed to be unnecessary.

Obviously in instances where the batt is equipped with fabric sheetbacking or is quilted,- as aforesaid, the stitch chains 3 will be passedthrough the fabric also.

'I he Width of the portions of the fabric strips 2, which are shown anddescribed as cemented to the latex pad may be appreciably'greater thanshown with outermost portions overlying or otherwise arranged'relatively to said latex pad,- but in such manner as to secure thelatter in place.

I claim as my invention:

1. A. cushion unit for upholstery comprisingA a conventional springassembly, a continuous batt structure of greater width than saidassembly disposed about thesame with its side edge portions .embracingthe peripheral edges of the top and bottom portions of the latter,fabric strips secured between their side edges to side edge -portions ofthe said batt and presenting oppositely :xtending flaps along the sidesof said assembly, opposed portions of vsaid flaps being secured togetherin a plane substantially midway between the top and bottom portions ofsaid assembly and providing side closures for the latter, correspendingother -portions of said flaps extending outwardly from a load-supportingface of the batt-enveloped assembly'along the side edges thereof, and a.resilient unitary pad of foamed latex or the like disposed betweenandsecured to the assembly and spaced outwardlyv from the same, freeextension portions of said @webs vexstrips at top and bottom of thestructure being drawn toward each other` and secured together to `opposeand close the sides of said assembly and cause said stitch chains tobecome disposed substantially in the planes of the top and bottom facesof the assembly with the free edge side portions of said coveringsprojecting inwardly of theA side edges of said assembly, the other edgey portions of said strips'constituting initially free flaps and aAunitary resilient pad of foamed latex or the like disposed over thelast-named face of said batt-covered assembly and having side facesdisposed in the planes of said webs and secured to said free iiaps.

4. An upholstery unit comprising a spring assembly, batt elementscovering both faces thereof and having their side-edge portions disposedin embracing relation to the side-edge portionsv of the upper and lowerfaces of the assembly, a web of fabric secured along .opposite side edgeportions to the opposed edge portions of said batt elements by means ofstitch-chains spaced from the sideV edges of said batt elements and fromthe side edge portions of said webs, the portions .of the latter'disposed between the said stitch- "chains being of less depth than thenormal depth of the space between the portions of said `batt elements'connected with said webs by thel 5. An upholstery unit comprising aspring as' sembly having batt covered upper and lower.

faces, the cover batts of said faces being of greater width than thelatter with their side edge portions constituting anges, turned inwardlyinto embracing relation to the upper and lower side edges of the springassembly,.a pair of fabric webs secured lalong their upper and loweredge portions to said flanges by means of stitchchains spaced from thesaid edges of said webs and from the inner' edges of said flanges andspaced apart a distance less than the depth of space between the opposedinturned edges of said flanges, the edge portions of said websconstituting flanges, and -a pad element disposed over one of said coverbatts and secured along its side edges to the last-named flanges, saidwebs acting to maintain the side fsprings, of the assembly partlycompressed and to maintain the said cover-batts taut and the sideflanges thereof in said embracing relation to the side edges of theassembly.

' 6. A structure of the type specified comprising -a conventional springassembly, batt coverings of the upper and lower faces of said assembly,with free edge portions thereof turned inwardly, and in embracingrelation thereto, and a pair of substantially taut fabric webs securedalong upper and lower side edge portions to` the said inwardly turnededge portions by rows of fastening means spaced from the free edges ofsaid coverings, said webs disposed substantially in the planes of theembraced edges of said assembly and constituting means whereby the battcoverings are maintained in place.

7. The hereindescribed method of making a pad-covered spring assemblyywhich consists in first providing batt coverings of greater width thanthe spring assembly, then securing to each of the side edge portions ofeach of said batt coverings upon their outer faces a strip of fabrictance substantially equal to or slightly less than the width of saidassembly and extending through said coverings, then disposing saidcoverings over the faces of said assembly, then turning said fabricstrips over the side edge portions of said coverings to thereby causethe free side edge portions of the latter to overhang the side edges ofthe upper and lower faces of the assembly and thereafter, while the sideedge portions 'of said assembly are maintained free, securing i stitchchains at each side of the assembly, and

by means of stitch chains spaced apart a disthen allowing the side edgeportions of the latter to expand and thereby tensioning the webs and thecoverings and causing the free edge portions of said coverings toembrace the edges of the assembly and said webs to become disposed inthe planes of the edges of the assembly so enveloped.

FRED A. NACI-IMAN. JR4

